Q. Why is this so important?
A. Because a government of, by, and for the People should be helping them get back on their feet, rather than helping businesses that harm their customers, employees, or neighbors.
Because we want the representative form of government our Founders fought for.
So these candidates can spend less time seeking campaign funds and more time seeking solutions to our many problems.
Q. What if I can't afford $7.00?
A. Individuals who are exempt from filing IRS income tax returns are not required to pay.
Because your voice doesn't count now, you're paying more than that in taxpayer subsidies to big businesses.
Proposed cuts in SNAP and Social Security will cost you far more than $7.00 a year.
Q. Do I have to pay the tax to vote?
A. No. A poll tax is illegal. This tax funds election campaigns for candidates who wish to serve the public in elective Federal offices.
Q. Why would your legislator oppose this plan?
A. He or she puts Party over People. They enjoy relative job security in a two-party system.
Thousands and millions of constituents can be overwhelming. It's easier to focus on fewer people, such as big campaign funders.
They like the perks accorded insiders and look forward to highly paid lobbying positions.
They like their extraordinary health care and public employee job benefits.
They think they deserve lifetime taxpayer-funded retirement benefits denied others.
Q. Will publicly funded legislators favor social issues over business issues?
A. Most urgently, people want JOBS that will sustain them. They understand that businesses are employers. People want the products and services businesses provide. They want a community that serves all.
Q. If publicly funded candidates get into office, will the public urge a spending spree?
A. These candidates had to demonstrate that they could keep their campaign spending within funding limits, and balance that budget. This should translate into legislative competence in money management.
Q. But new publicly funded legislators won't have connections when they get to Washington.
A. Remember going to a new school or town? You meet new people and find common interests and alliances on a person-by-person and topic-by-topic basis. They know their constituent's issues and will find like-minded legislators on each one.
Q. Aren't these extra donations like cororate Free Speech?
A. Not at all. These donations go into a fund that is distributed equally (by category) to all participating candidates. They probably won't know about a donation or who made it, so no special influence is obtained. If a donor puts in an extra $100, it would cover 14 unknown non-tax-filing people.
Q. How do you minimize cheating by candidates?
A. The program has monitors and auditors. Monitors can be FEC staff or anyone else, such as local news reporters. The public can submit information to the auditors. If a candidate's monthly expense report includes campaigning and lodging expenses at an event, say, in Los Angeles, and contradicts reports they're at a recreational event far away at the same time, the discrepancy will be quickly detected. If appropriate, funding can be stopped. Cheating candidates may be dismissed from the program, or from office.
Q. Does this program endorse a Constitutional Amendment disallowing Free Speech for artificial entities?
A. No. Constitutional Amendments currently proposed will not fund campaigns or change who chooses candidates. This program lets citizens decide who may spend their money.
Q. What if an incumbent joins this program and gets re-elected?
A. Welcome aboard! They have experience in office, and joining this program implies that they want to work for all of America's citizens. They're not beholden to anyone else.